I think both would work. The first one is probably more obvious. Our designer is considering some custom glass for the interior transoms, but she hasn't given us any idea what they might look like yet - I am excited to see what she might come up with... :)

What about having stained glass transoms made?

If your can afford it, I would go with stained glass as cpartist suggested. I have seen that done and they are gorgeous.

Can you say what it is that you find appealing about it? Is it the horizontal orientation of the glass? Or the detail in the corners between panes? This drawing from the website shows the detail more clearly. I don't think it's a bad choice, just trying to understand what's drawing you to it. Does it relate to a detail somewhere else in the house? Sometimes we don't know WHY we like something until we examine it and other times we never know!

The transom in your first photo, with three lights, will probably work well with your 2/1 doors. The transom in your second photo with 3/3 lights certainly will not.

Yours is a situation where less is more!

Good luck on your project.

i think #2 is too fussy.

Ok. But that's not my point. The point being it's a blank canvas so make interesting, whether fussy or plain.

i think #2 is too fussy.

I believe jannicone wasn't talking about your windows but about the second choice that ILoveRed posted.

I was thinking of ARG's windows which I had seen in the past when I made the suggestion for stained glass.

Stained glass sounds like a great option but I don't know anyone that does this. I know it's certainly an art form. I guess I could ask on Facebook...It really is beautiful and I certainly hadn't considered it until now.

not sure what I like about the second choice over the first. Something about it just appealed to me. Maybe a little more of a vintage look...

it seems that most of you think that it's too fussy and Virgil definitely likes the first the best in staying with the theme I already have going.

ARG...yours is beautiful. Very nice

thanks - I love the stained glass. I was speaking about ILoveRed's choices. All ARG's stained glass is great (and what wacko would only call out one of them as fussy??? LOL)

I think stained glass would be lovely - but, and I am just guessing here, at this point in the build, adding to the time and the budget usually isn't particularly attractive. So - go with the lowest cost option (and simplest) and MAYBE change them out in the future to stained glass = when your soul and your budget recover...

DLM...the second one doesn't repeat anything in the house so it might be kind of odd. It just kind of appealed to me...kind of an old fashioned look. I guess I should have noticed that this transom is labeled as "Victorian" which my house is not.

Janni...that would be the first choice for sure. And I'm so tired of research and making decisions.....definitely close to deranged ;-)

Honestly - buy what speaks to you. But if you are thinking about maybe wanting stained glass in the future, go plain. ;-)

You'll make it - you are in the homestretch!!!!

Remember: Two Wrights can't be Wong!

Oh no bad jokes that I'm starting to laugh at. I know I'm close to the deranged point..

Stained Glass would be beautiful, but if that doesn't work out you could also put in some type of decorative glass with a mullion in the middle to match your doors. Glue chip, seedy, rain glass . . . . there are lots of choices. We are using one solid light of seedy glass in our interior transoms to match our light fixtures that have seedy glass.

I like that website you posted, but beware that the transom will come similar to a block window. Your finish carpenter will have to install all the stops, trim, etc. I almost ordered from there and my husband noticed all the extra work and just decided to build them himself.

Ooo Suru I wouls love to see photos once that seedy glass is installed. That sounds lovely.

ARG you are a man of many talents!

Suru...thanks for the heads up on this company. And I will consider the other types of glass. Looking forward to seeing yours. Sounds like you have a handy hubby.

ARG...looking closely at your third image it looks like you have a special glass other than just clear and stained. Is it seeded?

ILoveRed- aren't you in central IL? There's a stained glass studio in CU if you're close enough to get something from them. Glass FX I believe.

We did a leaded, but not stained glass panel. We're mortified by color decisions, so the neutral textured glass won't lock us in to color decisions in the future. I have a friend that made it, and I installed it (yes, scary!).

*sigh* This is why I fought my modern house for so long. Jealous, ARG!!!! Gorgeous!

Couldn't find this thread!

thanks Amy..I will look them up. Very close.

Mush..I'm glad you posted this. I'm the same. I've always had the attitude that anything permanent should be neutral so this leaded glass might suit me better. Very pretty.

thanks everyone!!

I am coincidentally looking at transomsdirect.com tonight and was looking online for reviews of people who had actually ordered from them. Saw mention in the comments that you'd have to add stops and trim?

"I like that website you posted, but beware that the transom will come
similar to a block window. Your finish carpenter will have to install
all the stops, trim, etc. I almost ordered from there and my husband
noticed all the extra work and just decided to build them himself."

I'm not sure what a "block window" is? (Maybe you mean just the sash -- without jambs?)

I think we could order it with the jambs. On their FAQ page it shows photos labeled with or without jambs (in which case stops are shown)... https://www.transomsdirect.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=24&Itemid=65#faq1

... and when you configure a window to order it, you can specify the optional jamb, and choose the wall thickness. I know, either way, you have to attach it to or mount it above the door and add your own casing / trim to install it.

I'm still going to cost out a local millwork/door shop but wondering if they'll take longer than this online source.

Sooner...I don't know. My local building supply company has a woodwork guy on board that is incredible. He built a lot of stuff for my last house. Our contact at this place is confident that they can handle anything I want.

so I don't know about transomsdirect. Their website is pretty slick.

are you in a time crunch to get yours done??

Not in a time crunch. Pricing locally as we speak, to compare with TransomsDirect.

What I've got to figure out is how I want to make some of the existing 5 transoms (leading to the master bed and bathrooms) more private. I'm ordering new to match these old transoms, and unfortunately the sizes that fit the doors needing privacy are the older ones with clear glass, or I'd just order the new ones frosted.

I'm like the original poster -- wondering about style of transoms so I am going with the 5 transoms I do have, and the pervading theme of many divided light windows/grilles here.

I do love the stained glass posted here (what style would you call that -- Charles Rennie MacIntosh or Frank Lloyd Wright?), and the leaded glass (is that Victorian?) both gorgeous! I, too, can be paralyzed by color decisions that tie me down in future. Plus, with too many pending projects -- I need something shorter term if I can do it without it looking cheap. It's worth a try. The transoms will be real wood, painted, so maybe I don't have to worry about only frosting the glass instead of buying frosted glass.
Frost in a spray can; or that contact paper or decal available in the big box stores seem my best bet. I saw a method of applying a glue type substance from Michael's ("Gallery Glass?" http://simplesoutherncharmblog.com/diy-stained-glass/ ) to create a translucent look on french doors -- but it seemed time-consuming, and I wonder how it comes out close-up, maybe not private enough for my bathroom.

Maybe I could get the leaded glass look up above posted by mushcreek by using the narrow black "leaded glass tape" available, then use one of the other methods to create the frosting. But I'd have to settle on a STYLE for the leading and that is a puzzler!

Three weeks later but I thought I'd post that I did order from TransomsDirect.com and we received our order last night.

I am so impressed with this company that I just submitted a Google review, 5 stars -- hope it gets posted, they deserve kudo's! (I'll see if I can add one here on the gardenweb.)

Customer service and product and shipping, all top notch! And a great price compared to quotes I got locally, made it affordable.

We did make a couple of mods to their pattern -- a wider sash material to match our transoms on hand, and 5 lites instead of 4 on one of the larger transoms we ordered. They handled that with ease.

Just wanted to give Transoms Direct a shout out because I don't think I've had many orders go so perfectly!

On my older transoms needing some privacy, we went ahead with the spray can frosting technique, masking out a thin trim line, and we're liking the results.

Soose...I am so glad you came back and posted!!! I know you probably still have it in the packaging but can you post a picture. Your positive experience with this place renews my hope that it might work for me as well. I am so burnt out on decisions that I'm absolutely stuck...

i would be so thrilled if this was one decision that could be made easier.

good for you for taking the plunge.

Hi, ILoveRed. We kept the UPS man standing on the doorstep and opened the package enough to make sure shipping was okay last night, lol. How could I wait?

I just posted the photo of the transom sashes unwrapped and copied my "google review" to the TransomsDirect "pro listing" on Houzz but will include the photo again below.

[ See if you can see the Google review under the name "RW;" if not I'll send it to you. Houzz also seems to have a delay? I don't want to run on and on but when they deserve it, they do! And I hadn't been able to find any reviews to speak of other than a few stars. (I don't belong to Facebook, maybe some are there.) Calling this company did help me feel better about ordering online. So I figured some others would want to know this is a legit company, and how good they were for me! ]

Maybe the people at Transoms Direct can help with your decisions? They did help me, without railroading me into what they thought I should do. They really seem to care that you're happy and that the design is what you want. For more, read that review, don't want to repeat myself!

I should note that in this photo, the edges of the frame -- the sash material width of 2-7/8" -- is wider than normal ( 1-3/4" I think?) for this company, but I was matching some transoms I already have -- at just under 2-15/16" wide material. They came very close,didn't they!? (They'll also do a very narrow sash - what they call a "direct set," almost all glass. )

Be aware your transoms might have a diff frame width, more glass and less wood?

Plus, the transoms I already have had a different "sticking" - the verticals between lites were "ogee" profile while my newer 4ft French doors had what Transoms Direct calls a standard or beaded profile. We went with standard, saved a small upcharge.

More importantly, I measured the lites, calculated, and thought that 5 lites would look better over those French doors than the standard 4 lites. They did that, too -- you can see the one in the photo has an extra lite compared to their TR-1 for a 48"x16". Seems they build everything to order and changes are no problem.

The only thing is I wish they had a pre-primed option. But they say up front that they can't do that, so I'll be priming and painting the sashes.

Then, we chose to order sashes only and we'll build the jambs and install them ourselves. (DIY'er here.) Saved on shipping. (The jambs were costly because the shipping is added in to them and the boxes have to be so much bigger, I think. They do have a very good ".pdf" on their website with the procedure for doing the jambs and installation yourself. Worth looking at even if you're not. )

Good luck with the decision making! I can get caught agonizing -- so glad to have this one made!

EDIT: Just to be CLEAR, these unpainted sashes are the new transoms from TransomsDirect.com, just out of the box. (The pictures showing installed transoms in the further posts below - the frosted ones - are the old transoms I had that I was trying to match. So they look a little rough in the old trim, etc.)

I have another design decision to make myself, but don't want to hijack your thread any more than I already have! :/ Do you mind? Since we're talking transoms styles. (Don't know that I even know how to start a new thread.)

The frosted transoms (3 of the 5 older ones) turned out so I'm happy with it -- added that bit of privacy but not just opaque, and I can always remove it later if I find I made a mistake. The transoms below are actually just clear glass; we masked with 1/4" tape and sprayed with the Rustoleum frosting.

(Sorry the closeup photo is low res. I don't want to show the trim - we're going to replace it with more of an Arts&Crafts or Craftsman style soon. )

Would you be willing to give me your opinion?

ILoveRed, back to your own design decision. I reread your original post:

"My foyer will have a wide interior transom between the foyer and the living room.

this is what the back exterior doors beyond the foyer look like." and "Must I do a transom that looks like this..I know I should but can I get away with something different?" Then you said a vintage look appeals.

Sounds like you don't really like the design of the grille (muntins/sticking) on the current back exterior doors? Have you thought of modifying THOSE and then making the new transom match the newer look? You could add in more sticking or frost the two upper lights or put in beading and leave the glass clear, all appliqued on top? So they all coordinate? I don't know if you said what style your house is. Could you post a photo of the opening where the new transom is going?

Part of what drove me to put a pattern into the frosting on my transoms was that the exterior windows all have a tall transom with a wooden full-surround grille in them. Just didn't seem right to have big blank lites for the interior transoms when I have this theme throughout the house of divided lites in doors and exterior windows.

I know I haven't put the exact "grid pattern" on my interior transoms, and hoping that doesn't matter. I didn't feel I could do a Frank Lloyd Wright or Rennie MacIntosh type grille pattern, as the wooden grilles on the exterior windows and glass doors in the house were a regular grid.

Soose...post away, doesn't bother me a bit. As far as asking my opinion, lol not sure how much design talent I have but I think the public rooms I would leave them clear vs frosted. I don't think they all need to match. Your house sounds wonderful. It is a renovation I assume??

your transoms are beautiful. So glad you had a good experience. I will need to talk to my GC and show him your post and pictures. It will be Greek to him too. This May be new territory for him since he is a commercial builder (banks, churches, restaurants,etc) and is building this house for dh and I as a favor! Best childhood friend. One good thing is that this transom area is really not built yet and he can do whatever needs to be done around the transom.

heading out there and I will get a pic and post it.

no, I really love my doors and windows and the fractional grill patterns. I was just being fickle about trying to choose something different for the transom.

Just read your post above my last one. Oh my, your house sounds wonderful. You should post a pic.

ILoveRed,

If you like the back exterior transoms... it's tough to know to match those, or meet your desire of something different in the transoms -- or do that in other architectural features within that area of the house.

Luckily there are good people here to help; hope they pipe up again!

You could put in a plain full glass transom and live with it for awhile. Someone suggested that. You could also put in a separate wooden painted grille piece on top of that (a removable grille like exterior windows), seems that should not be too pricey for just ONE transom or maybe your contractor could get something built for a reasonable price. So you could match your exterior back window pattern for now. Then, you'd be keeping your options open.

Over time you'd get a better sense of what excites you for the space. I'm not a designer and I just take a long time to come to a sense of what might fit, and even then I usually don't know whether it's correct for designer or architectural eyes. This time I just went for it anyway.

But only after living with the gaping holes a long time. It's going to be a real Christmas gift to have those holes filled!

That's the downside of my suggestion you wait to make a decision, and part of why I'm agreeing with the suggestion that you go ahead and install a simpler transom -- full glass or with a grille -- during building now. That will make the house finished, but also keep your options open for when you are not so overwhelmed with all the house decisions you're making now.

Later, maybe this choice could be FUN, a real pleasure, instead of agonizing! (But hey, I was overwhelmed with paint choices and just had all rooms painted the same neutral, same logic. Worked for me at the time. I always try to keep options open -- which is why I used spray frosting instead of buying frosted glass.

If I were just trying to fill the gaping hole with a plain glass, and wait til later, I would likely just do that myself. An outer box for jambs, a plain piece of glass, and stops to hold it in. No biggie, easy carpentry, and while glass is not cheap, it would get the job done for now and leave options open for later.

A commercial builder will have options a residential builder might not think of, and sometimes I think have a good sense of bringing a project in within budget?